Hermann witzel



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

H. WITZEL.

SHOE.

No. 383,090. Patented May 15, 1888.

WITNESSES: MW 9& yfli/m, Q

2 Sheets-Sheet 2;

(NoModeL) H. WITZEL.

SHOE.

Patented May 15, 1888.

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SHGE.

SFECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 383,090, dated May 15, 1888.

Application filed February 9, 1888. Serial No. 263,470.

(No model.) Patented in France December 527, 1687, No. 187,840, and in England January 9, 1888, No. 354.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMANN WITZEL, a subject of the King of Prussia, Germany, residing at the city of Neustadt, in the King dom of Prussia, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shoes, (which has heretofore been patented to me by the governments of France, dated December 27, 1887, No. 187,840, and England, dated January 9, 1888, No. 851,) of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in fastening devices for boots or shoes; and the object of my invention is to provide a boot or shoe which can be closed and fastened or unfastened very easily and rapidly, and which when closed fits snugly on the foot and when opened permits introducing or withdrawing of the foot with ease.

The invention consists in a shoe having a cut in the front face along the instep to a point some distance back from the toe, two flaps secured to the sides of said cut, the edges of the flaps opposite to the ones secured to the edges of the out being united.

The invention also consists in the construe tion and combination of parts and details, as will be fully described and set forth hereinafter, and finally be pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of my improved shoe open. Fig. 2 is a top View of the same open. Fig. 3 is a side view of the same closed. Fig. 4 is a top view of the same closed, and Figs. 5 and 6 are perspective views of the locking-lever.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The front of the upper is out along the instep from the point x to the point y, Fig. 4. To the two edges thus formed the two flaps or wings a b c d c are sewed along the edges a c, the parts (I c of the bottom edges of said flaps being sewed to the upper and the edges 12 c d of the flaps being sewed together. Then the shoe is open, the two flaps are spread, as shown in Fig. 2, and when the shoe is closed the two flaps overlap, as shown in Fig. 4. In

order to facilitate closing the shoe and to cause the flaps to rest snugly on the front parts of the shoe, a curved lever, f, is secured between the two flaps. One end of said curved lever is provided with an aperture, f, which at the point a, Fig. 1, is sewed to the edge a e on the lower or inner flap, the ends of said curved lever being held between the flaps at the edges 1) c, where a pocket, 0, may be formed between said flaps by stitches. \Vhen the flaps are folded on the shoe, the lever f swings down with them and prevents the opening of said flaps; but as it may occur that some object may catch under the edges b c or c d of the flaps and raise the same, I have provided the tongues 13 and 0, having slots, through which buttons b c on the outside of the shoe near the rear end can be passed for the purpose of locking the flaps in place.

In case that the shoe is too loose the pocket 0 for the swinging end of the lever f must be shaped so that the swinging end is a greater distance from the point 0, whereby by closing the shoe--that is, folding the flaps against the front and top of the shoe-the upper flap is drawn more outward and the inner one is pressedinward more, so that the shoe will be tighter over the instep. It is evident that boots can be made in the same manner.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination, with a shoe having a cut on the front of the upper from the top along the instep to some distance back from the toes,of two flaps sewed to the opposite edges of the cut and having the edges opposite the ones secured to the edges of the cut united, and of a curved lever between said flaps, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a shoe having a cut in the front face of its upper from the top along its instep to a point some distance from the back of the toes, of the flaps to b c d e, secured to the upper and to the opposite edges of said out, which flaps have the edges 1) c d united, and the curved lever f, having one end secured to one of the flaps, and having the opposite end between the flaps united at their edges, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the shoe having a cut in the front of its upper from the top along the instep to a point some distance back from the toes, of the two flaps a b c 02, secured 5 along the edges a c to the edges of said out, and said flaps having the edges 6 c d united, the lever f, the tongues B O, and the pins 1) 0 substantially as set forth.

In testimony WhereofI have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. v

HERMANN \VITZEL. Witnesses:

FR. Kii'rzING,

l Vorb is. F. HoMnIsTER,

Hannover. 

